BLOG - How do I market without bragging?

Very often those who’ve achieved great things go quietly unnoticed. Doubly so when British reticence and modesty gets in the way.

This is all very admirable…but unfortunately this will not help in the marketing of your business

I frequently come across this scenario when I do a Marketing Healthcheck with new companies. When I ask them what they do in their business and who their target audience is they surprise me with their amazing track records. But these are nowhere to be seen on their websites or in their marketing materials.

Examples include a fitness trainer who works with celebrities; a company that had been involved in one of the world’s largest solar installations; and a historic renovation company that had taken down, moved and rebuilt an entire 16th century house (we sorted that by creating a video on their website!)

I was once taken on by a company whose MD hated the very word marketing. He only brought me in because a rival with a lesser offering had marketed themselves so well that it was taking away customers. Effectively not even his own clients knew how very good that company was…

I also sat in a builder’s house doing a Marketing Healthcheck when a new neighbour knocked on the door to apologise for all the noise that was about to happen that week whilst he got builders in. No, he didn’t know that his own neighbour was a builder with an excellent track record…

So this is what you need to do:

Brainstorm your strengths and include them in your marketing material. If this makes you squirm I know a very good copywriter that will do this for you – um that would be me then… Be proactive about gathering your testimonials and displaying them (there's a separate post on how to do this)Let your friends, neighbours and contacts know what you do – marketing postcards do this very cheaply and effectively (here’s some examples)Be a little more ready to share your successes when networkin g